Device for pressing together goods supported on conveyor

ABSTRACT

The goods are pressed together in vertical direction by preventing an upper surface of the goods from rising and by subjecting a part of the goods not supported by the conveyor to an upward compression force, whereby no compression is directed at the conveyor itself.

United States Patent [191 Back Aug. 27, 1974 154] DEVICEFORPRESSINGTOGETHER 3,182,586 5/1965 Anningtonetal ..100/3x GOODS SUPPORTED ON CONVEYOR 3,511,173 5/ 1970 Morrow 100/7 [75] Inventor: Karl Johan Back, Helsinki, Finland I 73 Assi ee: (3 lo AB Helsinki, Finland Pfima'y EMWMPTIM 1 gn y p Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Brooks l-laidt & Hafi'ner [22] Filed: Jan.30, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 328,871

ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 100/7, 53/124 D, 100/14,

1 0/232, 100/264 The goods are pressed together in vertical direction by [51] Int. Cl B65!) 63/02 reventing an upper surface of the goods from rising [58] Field of Search 100/3, 7, 14, 232, 264; and by subjecting a part of the goods not supported by I 124 the conveyor to an upward compression force, whereby no compression is directed at the conveyor [56] References Cited itself.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,103,701 9/1963 Calchera et al 100/264 X 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures F i o w I d t) g 7 19 8 1 17 4 l j E f 11 IB 11 f I 18 7199181 l 1 7 p E =L I o PATENTEDAUBZNW 7 3,831,511

SMITH! 2 PATENIEBAUGZIIQM DEVICE FOR PRESSING TOGETHER GOODS SUPPORTED ON CONVEYOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a method and device for pressing together goods supported on a conveyor, especially for bundling.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art has provided devices for pressing together conveyor-supported goods in a vertical or horizontal direction in which vertical compression has been obtained with a pressing beam fitted above the goods and movable in the vertical direction. In these known devices the conveyor has worked as a stop or compression base, which naturally sets high requirements of strength for the conveyor. When using roller conveyors it has been necessary to resort to special conveyors with rollers and bearings which can bear the compression to which they are subjected. Such special conveyors are naturally very expensive.

The object of the present invention is thus to create a method and device for pressing conveyor-supported goods together without excessive compression directed at the conveyor itself, in which conventional, relatively inexpensive conveyors can be used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS F [(3. 1 shows a partially cut end view of an especially advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, and F IG. 2 shows a side view of the same device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1 and 2 show as an example manually controlled timber pressing device fitted transversally between roller conveyors 2 and 3. Behind or in front of pressing device 1 there is binding device 4 for binding a timber bundle which has been pressed together.

Pressing device 1 consists of frame 5, vertical guide bars 6 fitted between the upper and lower rims of the frame at some distance from each other, and horizontal guide bars 7 fitted between the side rims of the frame at some distance from each other. Guide bars 6 and 7 have been advantageously fitted close to the rims of frame 1. Between verticalguide bars 6 there are two horizontal pressing beams which have been fitted to glide up and down in the vertical direction supported by journal bearings and I1 fitted to guide bars 6. On one side of frame I there is stop 12 which can be adjusted in the horizontal direction and on the opposite side of the frame there is vertical pressing beam 13 which is supported by guide bars 7 and can be moved in the horizontal direction on journal bearings 14 towards stop 12 and away from it, in which case stop 12 and pressing beams 8, 9, 13 form an expendable and reducible rectangular compression opening 15 for timber bundle '16 which rests on conveyors 2 and 3.

The vertical movement of horizontal pressing beams 8 and 9 is obtained with hydraulic cylinders 17 fitted between journal bearings 10 and 11 which have been attached to same guide bars 6. It must be noted that pressing beams 8 and 9 which have been attached with journal bearings to guide bars 6, their joumal-bearings l0 and 11, and their operating cylinder 17 form an independent stiff pressing system which rests against lower pressing beam 9 on cushioned supports 18 fitted at the lower part of frame 1.

The horizontal movement of vertical pressing beam 13 supported by guide bars 7 is also obtained with hydraulic cylinders 19 attached to journal bearings 14 of pressing beam 13, the other ends of the cylinders having been attached to stop 12' or perhaps directly to frame 1.

The compression medium source of hydraulic cylinders 17 and 19 is indicated by reference numeral 20 and their control device by reference numeral 21.

Timber bundle 16 to be bound is fed forward by conveyor 2 so that'one end of the timber bundle reaches through compression opening 15 of the pressing device and binding device 4, whereafter conveyors 2 and 3 are stopped for the time of pressing and binding. The timber bundle can naturally be bound at several points along its length by moving the bundle forward step by step.

When timber bundle 16 is fed into compression opening 15, lower pressing beam 9 is at its initial position and rests on cushioned supports 18, at which time the upper rim of the pressing beam is at the level of the upper surface of conveyors 2 and 3 orbelow it so that the'timber bundle can be transferred into compression opening 15 without hindrance. When timber bundle 16 is in the compression opening, stop 12 is moved sidewards against one side of timber bundle l6 and locked in place, unless stop 12 has been set beforehand at a suitable position in regard to the timber bundle.

A timber bundle is pressed together in the vertical direction by lowering upper pressing beam 8, which is achieved by shortening the effective length of hydraulic cylinders 17 until pressing beam 8 touches the upper surface of timber bundle 16. At this time the weight of pressing beam pairs 8 and 9, journal bearings 10 and 11, and cylinders 17 is transferred from supports 18 onto timber bundle l6, and when the effective length of cylinders 17 is further shortened, lower pressing beam 9 begins to rise and press the timber bundle together in the vertical direction.

It must be noted that when a timber bundle is pressed together in the vertical direction with a device according to the invention, no compression is directed at the conveyor itself by cylinders 17. The only additional stress to be borne by conveyorsv 2 and 3 is the total weight of pressing beams 8 and 9, journal bearings 10 and 11, and cylinders 17, which does not rise very high.

A timber bundle is pressed together in the horizontal direction by moving vertical pressing beam 13 towards the timber bundle with hydraulic cylinders 19.

When timber bundle 16 has been pressed together in compression opening 15, the timber bundle is bound by means of the binding device 4. Thereafter compression opening is opened and the timber bundle bound with steel bands is moved forward.

lf platelike pieces must be bundled together, no horizontal compression is required, in which case the vertical pressing beam and stop can be eliminated. The pressing beams can be shaped to correspond to the profile of the goods if the cross section of a piece is not rectangular as in the above example.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for pressing together goods on a conveyor, comprising: a base, a conveyor and frame on the base; substantially horizontally extending backing means on the frame for movement against an upper surface of the goods supported on the conveyor; substantially horizontally extending pressing means mounted on the frame for upward movement towards an unsupported bottom part of the goods on the conveyor; and means for actuating said backing and pressing means comprising at least one operating cylinder with one end fitted to the backing means and another end fitted to the pressing means for lowering the backing means to rest upon the upper surface of the goods and for lifting the pressing means to compress the goods when the effective length of the operating cylinder is further reduced.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a pair of vertical guide means on both sides of the conveyor and journal bearings for slidably mounting the ends of the horizontal backing and pressing means to the guiding means; and wherein the actuating means comprise a pair of synchronized operating cylinders fitted between each superposed ends of the horizontal backing and pressing means for actuating same in vertical direction.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a resilient stop on the base for supporting the horizontal pressing means between the compression operations.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising vertically extending backing means on one side of the conveyor and fixedly mounted to the frame; vertically extending pressing means mounted to the frame on opposite side of the conveyor for movement towards the vertical backing means; and actuating means operatively connected to the vertical pressing means and fixed backing means for pressing the goods in the horizontal direction.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising means for bundling the goods together when pressed together. 

1. A device for pressing together goods on a conveyor, comprising: a base, a conveyor and frame on the base; substantially horizontally extending backing means on the frame for movement against an upper surface of the goods supported on the conveyor; substantially horizontally extending pressing means mounted on the frame for upward movement towards an unsupported bottom part of the goods on the conveyor; and means for actuating said backing and pressing means comprising at least one operating cylinder with one end fitted to the backing means and another end fitted to the pressing means for lowering the backing means to rest upon the upper surface of the goods and for lifting the pressing means to compress the goods when the effective length of the operating cylinder is further reduced.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a pair of vertical guide means on both sides of the conveyor and journal bearings for slidably mounting the ends of the horizontal backing and pressing means to the guiding means; and wherein the actuating means comprise a pair of synchronized operating cylinders fitted between each superposed ends of the horizontal backing and pressing means for actuating same in vertical direction.
 3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a resilient stop on the base for supporting the horizontal pressing means between the compression operations.
 4. The device of claim 1, further comprising vertically extending backing means on one side of the conveyor and fixedly mounted to the frame; vertically extending pressing means mounted to the frame on opposite side of the conveyor for movement towards the vertical backing means; and actuating means operatively connected to the vertical pressing means and fixed backing means for pressing the goods in the horizontal direction.
 5. The device of claim 1, further comprising means for bundling the goods together when pressed together. 